Appraisal v3

Prepared by Tony Carroll

September 2009

Introduction .................................................................................................... 2
The Scheme ..................................................................................................... 2
The Project Team ........................................................................................... 4
Finance............................................................................................................. 4
Action Plan ...................................................................................................... 5
Programme...................................................................................................... 5
Introduction
With Hunshelf Ltd Tony Carroll was the prime motivator and promoter for the regeneration
of the St Vincent's area of Sheffield recognising the potential of the area in mid 2002,
drawing on his previous experience and success with early projects in Devonshire Green in
the late 1990's.

Since then he has been responsible for two significant schemes, Impact and Castle Works,
which following long negotiations with other land owners, residents and the city council
resulted in the St Vincent's Plan and the market confidence for other developers to take an
interest in the area.

In 2004 he devised a plan named Impact Square to transform an open area into a new public
square that will transform the St Vincent's area and provide a focus for the community. The
plan includes a multi level soft and hard landscaped sections with commercial units aimed at
small traders. Beneath Impact Square a 250 space car park is planned that will alleviate the
chronic parking problems that the locality encounters.

A talented and experienced project team has been formed alongside Tony and a
comprehensive and viable scheme has been designed and refined through many discussions
and negotiations. Councillor Diane Leek has been closely involved with consultations and
has kindly facilitated and encouraged connections with residents and the wider council. Matt
Hayman (Planning) became involved and has been equally helpful in securing negotiations
with officers. Simon Ogden (Planning) has been generous in his support for the project since
it was muted in 2004 as the completion of the Impact project.

This has been presented to the key interested parties, including residents, councillors,
planners and officers. To date, all have expressed a keen desire to implement the plan. SCC,
Housing Services, the owner of the land, have also been met alongside councillors and the
planning department and they have confirmed that they would be prepared to relinquish the
land to facilitate the development of Impact Square.

The right scheme is expected to create supplementary benefits by demonstrating to the

developers of other sites that further capital investment will be rewarded by increasing the
desirability and viability of the area and thereby encouraging the completion and
commencement of their schemes.

The Scheme
The earmarked site is comparable in size to the Peace Gardens adjacent to Sheffield Town
Hall. As such it deserves a well thought out plan that responds not only to the community but
to the dramatic topography and edge of city centre location. A compromised or rushed
solution must be avoided because it is unlikely that the area will attract the type of ongoing
publicly funded investment that a central site in the heart of the city would benefit from.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it right.

The principles for Impact Square as a public space have been generally accepted by all
consulted residents, officers and councillors and what remains is to refine the commercial
aspects and procurement method which in turn will affect the final mix and financial success.

Considerations have been given to how Impact Square responds to its immediate and wider
environment. Particular attention has been paid to how it integrates with the adjacent
residential developments and the pedestrian links between the town centre and Supertram.

The mix of informal hard and soft landscaping indicates that Impact Square is for occupying
in a relaxed style. The removal of demarcation zones that might be seen in the heart of the
city is designed to encourage all ages to take possession and ownership of the space, and
ultimately that ownership will convey responsibility and a community cohesion.

Removal of the existing enclosed ball court will result in a reduction in the formal recreation
space. However, while there is a need for some form of hard surfaced recreation zone exists
the present space is under-utilised and a target for anti-social behaviour. The new space will
duplicate the ball play function in a single ended layout that is more suited to encouraging a
wider variety of informal and ad-hoc games.

The terracing creates an opportunity to insert pocket commercial units into the vertical
sections. These are configured to be easily divisible to crate units with extensive display
window frontages which can be rented to small and start up businesses on easy in and out
terms. This principle is well trodden and an exemplar can be seen in the Devonshire Green
area where the shopkeepers, cafe and bar owners made the area what they wanted rather than
relying on landlords and masterplans.

Following an approach to Seb Grieve, an internationally known local climber, there is in

interest in an outdoor training wall facility. This provides a neat and maintenance free
solution to the vertical transitions between the terrace levels. It will also encourage a
destination purpose for evening and weekend visits from non residents, underpinning the
community feel that is at the heart of the plan rather than relying on outmoded and unreliable
outdoor cafe-bar ideas.

Beneath all this there is the opportunity to create a car park that is almost totally underground
in response to the sloping topography. Around 250 spaces are viable (subject to ground
investigations) with an entrance from Upper Allen Street. This element of the project is an
extraordinary opportunity to create a commercial underwriting to the project and alleviate
reliance on public funds. Two car parking operators have expressed interest from initial
enquiries at known values. An annual tenanted income in excess of £300,000 is anticipated.
The Project Team
Already in place:

Tony Carroll- Provesta

Tony is an experienced developer and project manager. Since leaving architectural practice in
1996 he has been responsible for many development schemes in and around Sheffield
including commercial, residential and institutional projects. He created the Impact and Castle
Works developments which were the catalysts for the St Vincent's regeneration and has a
track record of delivery within time and budgetary constraints.

Tony has selected an initial project team that combine talent and experience of working on
similar projects.

Ian Drabble - Studio 1 Architects

Ian is a founding partner of architects, Studio 1. The firm focuses on design flair that reflects
the projects aspirations and the technical competence to deliver reliable construction
information. They are the architects for both Impact and Castle Works schemes.

Tan Khan - Capita Symonds

Tan is a structural engineer and heads up the regional office of Capita Symonds. Their multi-
disciplinary capabilities extend from technical site investigations, structures to environmental
issues. Capita acted as structural, geotechnical and civil engineers and quantity surveyors for
Impact and Castle Works and have an in depth knowledge of the challenges arising from the
site.

To join the team:

Planning & Landscape Design departments - Sheffield City Council

Archaeological investigations - ARCUS

Finance
There are a variety of financial options depending on how the scheme is procured but it is
anticipated that there will be a mix of public and private finance depending on the final mix
of uses.

Headline figures:
It is understood that around £1.4m of Section 106 monies are in place from private
development schemes in the area.
The car park has an estimated value of around £3.7m
The commercial space has an estimated value of around £1.7m
The Impact Square project can return an estimated capital receipt to SCC in excess of
£1m while delivering a new public space at no cost to the public purse.

Action Plan
The project team already formed and ready to be appointed to implement the programme:

Programme
Plans are at an advanced stage and a planning application could be submitted within a matter
of weeks. Once the team is in place the following programme will be targeted:

Scheme design,
Consultation, November 2009
Approvals, December - January 2009
Planning application, January 2009 - March 2010
Detail design and tender process March - June 2010
Site operations - July 2010 - March 2011
Ribbon cutting ceremony April 2011

Tony Carroll
September 2009
tony@provesta.co.uk 07770 734186.